Sumoto

[TommoVN250]

I have been reading both good & Bad reports about buying from Sumoto and I am just after thoughts on buying from them.


Tim

[icebreaker]

I wouldn't...

SocialSecurity had heaps of issues with a bike his misses bought there... They really f'd him around.. engine problems.

Heard lots of bad.. not much good.. but I guess those with the good don't jump up and down..


Just remember that all the grey import bikes are bitza's.. They've got bitz from this bike.. bitz from that bike... And they put together a supposedly decent bike.. So luck of the draw.


Good luck either way mate.

Dan

[99coconuts]

yeah, i was witness to the stupendous f@#k around that social and his other half got at sumoto. well and truly enuff for me to say stay well clear of the fekkers.

even if the pricing wasn't ridiculous, i'd still stay the hell away from there. but between the prices, the poor sales service and the even poorer after sales service, i just cant understand how they remain in business

[John H]

I've heard the odd bad story about Sumoto. Then again, people only tend to talk about bad car/bike buying experiences, not good ones.

From memory, Sumoto's specialty is in selling a lot of grey import 250cc bikes (ZX2Rs, CBR250s, etc) that in many cases were never officially imported here by the manufacturer.

Were you wanting to buy something a bit exotic, or were you wanting to buy a model that was sold here new? I dunno if I'd bother going to Sumoto to buy a GPX250 because there's so many available at other dealers or privately that are probably going to be at a better price, but if I was after a CBR250RR and was very particular about the colour scheme I wanted, they might be the people to see.

What bike did you have in mind? The VN250?

[SocialSecurity]

just buy private, or from a real bike dealer. sumoto are not so much in the business of selling bikes as they are polishing turds.

much much better off to buy a bike thats already been in the country a few years, and if it had any problems (and they all will) then they would have been dealt with by now, rather than sumotos attitude of "lets paint it up, hope it starts, get it out the door and hope we never see them again."

if your after the ultimate in pose factor, a ~15 year old 250cc bike with race rep paint from this years season... then yeah, its your money... but your going to lose a lot of it, and chances are your going to have headaches, and the warranty only covers "engine and gearbox" and you need to bring thumbscrews with you to get them to do anything to it... and a gun if you want them to actually test ride it after working on it


if you buy a bike out of the trading post, or even a reasonable bike dealer (i think they exist) then chances are, 12 months later you could sell it for very close to what you paid for it... 250's are always in demand, and if you dont rash the bike up too much it'll hold its value... but NOT if you pay $7k for a freshly painted sumoto shitbox!


the only reasons to ever buy from a dealer simply dont exist with sumoto. sumotos real "speciality" is big adds in bike magazines with L and P plate signs all over them and "world of 250's" quotes etc etc. all the bikes they sell are available a lot cheaper on the open market, in much better condition. when you really get to know bikes, seeing an old shitbox bike in really poor condition with brand new RR-RRRRR paint on it limping down the road will only sicken you more than neons and milo tins on hyundais



i wonder if they can get me for slander? its ok, cause i feel the urge to "slander" a certain sumoto part owners green SS ute with a sledgehammer

[John H]

Actually, after reading Social Security's and 99coconut's posts, I feel inclined to plead relative ignorance and explain the two 'happy' Sumoto customers I spoke to, because there might just be a pattern:

1. Customer who bought a Suzuki Bandit (whatever the 250 Suzuki is called). The bike was OK, but Sumoto didn't seem particularly interested in him as a customer as soon as the ink had dried on the contract of sale.

2. Customer who genuinely believed he got a really great deal - only $8000 (once ORC were included) for a 1992 CBR250. He was really happy with the bike and had no complaints, but IMO that's a hell of a lot of money to pay for such an old bike.

I guess you could say that because most people only probably every buy just the one 250 before spending the rest of their riding career on bigger bikes, a place like Sumoto that only sells 250s doesn't really expect to do repeat business. So unlike a 'normal' dealer, they're not necessarily going to try and build customer loyalty by giving you great after sales service because it's unlikely you'll be buying your next bike from them anyway.

I guess the other point I'd make is that the free gear you get with the bike under Sumoto's offer is possibly not such a great deal after all. I got my 250 (from another dealer) with gloves and helmet thrown in as part of the deal, but it was the cheapest possible helmet (noisy, bad ventilation) and I then went and paid more money a few months later to get a Shoei. In hindsight, it would have been better (and cheaper) to have just bought the bike on its own, and bought the helmet I wanted. Same goes with boots/gloves/jacket etc - in the long run you'd probably rather choose something that fits you well and looks good than just take something you don't really like because its part of a bundled offer.

[Barrabob]

Should be able to find a good runner for 3500 in the 250 range just have to dig around the classifieds on various forums, I will go with the turd polishing analogy from social security.

You have to look at a object of desire with the approach what is it worth if I wanted to sell it tomorrow because thats what it is really worth not the sticker price a dealer is asking.

Its always hard with the first bike purchase because you dont really know what it is worth.

try to find someone with a bit of experiance to help you out.

[99coconuts]

sumoto are not so much in the business of selling bikes as they are polishing turds.

thats GOLD

never heard sumoto described so concisely and accurately. but i guess if anyone knows about them, its you

[SocialSecurity]

not sure what you mean mate as far back as i can remember, i dont think ive ever even ridden a 250

[Nanna10r]

The Truckdriver who delivered Janelle's bike from Sydney for us (thanks again dave1) works for Krusty Fergusons bike delivery business & he said about 2/3rds of their sumoto deliveries get sent back to them.
So i'd agree with the others & say give them a wide berth mate.
cheers Brett

[icebreaker]

not sure what you mean mate as far back as i can remember, i dont think ive ever even ridden a 250

You lier you..

[TommoVN250]

Thanks for your help guys, I was looking at the VN250 but after some advice decided to buy either a ZXr250, ZZR250 or a Honda Hornet 250.


Tim

[mike-s]

how about just changing your nick to Tommo, or Tommo250 then?

[Duane]

how about just changing your nick to Tommo, or Tomm0250 then?

Narrr dont be silly mike.. u should just change ur name to mike-sZX10R

Anyways mate, Best of luck with your purchasing of a motorcycle of the two wheeled type - just dont by a honda or a yammie

DuaneZZ250

[Felix]

believed he got a really great deal - only $8000 (once ORC were included) for a 1992 CBR250

FIRETRUCK!!

Seriously, for that sort of money, if I was looking for a 250...I'd buy a new Hyosung with 2 years warranty...and have lots of change for gear...